By Jack Burden

Four-time world champion Nate Smith was a notable absentee from last weekend’s Royal Nautique Pro after withdrawing with a lower back injury.

Smith had travelled to Morocco intending to compete but ultimately decided against skiing after ongoing back problems failed to improve. Instead, he joined Tony Lightfoot and TWBC in the commentary booth, providing expert analysis throughout the event.

Speaking during the broadcast, Smith revealed the injury first surfaced following the Swiss Pro Slalom in early May.

“My back started to bother me… I didn’t really ski much through the month of May,” Smith explained. “I tried to give it a go at Masters. Obviously that didn’t go very well and things kind of got worse from there.”

An MRI conducted before travelling to Morocco confirmed disc and nerve issues in his lower back, with pain radiating down both legs. Given the unsettled river conditions at the Royal Nautique Pro, Smith opted against competing, saying he would instead focus on recovery before assessing whether a return for Monaco would be possible.

“Most likely, I probably won’t be skiing for a few weeks,” he said, although he remained hopeful of getting back on the water as soon as his condition allows.

The injury has interrupted a limited 2026 campaign. Smith has competed in just two professional events this season, first pushing the in-form Charlie Ross deep into 9.75m (43 off) at the Swiss Pro Slalom before struggling at the notoriously demanding Masters at Callaway Gardens, where he failed to reach the final.

During the broadcast, Smith also spoke about the challenge of balancing elite-level skiing with his work as a commercial pilot, noting that long days in the cockpit can make training particularly demanding.

“They can be if you have long days and then you get out and you try to ski a couple days in a row and then go right back to the seat,” he said when asked about the impact of time spent flying on his back.

Smith, who turns 36 later this year, won his fourth world title in 2025 but has become increasingly selective with his tournament schedule in recent seasons as he balances competitive skiing with his aviation career. While veterans such as Will Asher and Thomas Degasperi have remained competitive well into their 40s, Smith has competed less frequently in recent years. Even so, his performances late last season and at the Swiss Pro earlier this year demonstrated that, when healthy, he remains capable of contending with the world’s best slalom skiers.

For now, however, Smith’s focus is on recovery, with his return to competition dependent on how his back responds over the coming weeks.